BRIDGEWATER – Westfield State grad student Kylie Buchanan, of Westfield scored three goals including both fourth quarter markers and Kara Banagan (Niskayuna, N.Y.) made a season-high 14 saves to lead the Owls past Bridgewater State 8-6 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on April 4.
Westfield State held a one goal lead entering the final quarter in a game that was closely contested for its entirety. With the shot clock under ten seconds, Emma Prattson (Tolland, Conn.) located a cutting Buchanan in front of the net who fired home her second goal of the night for a 7-5 Owls lead.
Bridgewater responded just over two minutes later with Riley Bina (Abington, Mass.) cutting the deficit to one goal with 9:11 remaining. With less than three minutes left in the game, Buchanan possessed the ball at the top of the fan, juking a Bears defender to set up a one-on-one with keeper Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) before ripping a shot into the net to regain a two-goal lead.
After winning the ensuing draw control, Bridgewater turned the ball over on an offensive trip, allowing Westfield State to successfully clear the zone and hold onto possession for the reminder of the game, sending the Owls home with a win.
The second quarter proved to be a separator as Westfield State outscored Bridgewater 4-2 in the period with the other three quarters finishing even with both sides totaling four goals. Buchanan got the scoring started to make it a 3-1 lead, then two straight goals pulled the Bears even with 5:07 left in the half.
Westfield State closed the half on a high note, doubling their goal total from the first 27 minutes of action. Natalie DeMaio (Westwood, Mass.) fired home her second goal of the evening, then Mykenzie Black (Hopedale, Mass.) added on with a marker with 1:35 to play in the half. With 15 seconds left, Prattson buried the team’s sixth goal of the night to increase the Owls lead to three goals entering half, 6-3.
Bridgewater scored two goals within 1:40 of each other in the middle portions of the third quarter to trim Westfield State’s lead to one goal, but a strong fourth period proved to be the difference.
Banagan set the tone early in the game as she racked up five saves in the first quarter alone which allowed Westfield State to gain a slight 2-1 edge after 15 minutes of action. She earned her first win of the campaign. Skaff took the loss in net, making 10 saves in a game where the shots were even at 29 apiece. The Bears had 20 shots on goal compared to 18 from the Owls.
Both goalies were stout on limiting free position goals with Banagan saving all five free position shots. Skaff let one goal past her on five Westfield free position shots.
Westfield State will travel to Springfield College for their next game on Thursday at 6 p.m.
BUCHANAN, BANAGAN CLAIM MASCAC WEEKLY HONORS: Buchanan won the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Week as she found the back of the net five times along with a pair of caused turnovers and ground balls. Banagan was awarded MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week as she helped Westfield State go 2-0 in the MASCAC.
Buchanan has 33 points this season which is the Owls third highest point getter, and she has netted 31 goals, which is the seventh highest amount in the MASCAC. Banagan sports a 10.88 goals against average along with 48 saves and a 44.4 save percentage. Banagan’s 10.88 GAA is the third best in the MASCAC.
SOFTBALL SPLITS DH: Worcester State pitcher Peyton Maloney narrowly missed a no-hitter, taking the bid into the seventh inning before Westfield State’s Hannah Wodecki broke up the no-hitter in a 7-0 Worcester State win in game 2 as the two teams split a MASCAC doubleheader at Sullivan Field on April 4.
Westfield State (18-4, 3-1 MASCAC) emerged victorious in game 1 with a 6-2 decision over the Lancers (10-9, 1-3).
In the opener, Westfield State starter Katherine Canty threw a complete game to earn the win and push her record to 8-0 in the season. Canty scattered six hits and two runs while striking out three and walking none. She worked out of a two-on, none-out situation in the second inning to keep the Lancers scoreless until the fifth.
Westfield State’s Allysa Slack, a 2024 graduate of Westfield Technical Academy added an RBI double in the fourth to push the lead to 5-0. Slack also turned in a couple of outstanding plays in the field, snagging a pair of line drive outs during the double header outing.
BURNETT HOMERS TWICE IN BASEBALL SPLIT: Westfield State sophomore Sean McNamara (Lowell, Mass.) struck out a career-high 16 Worcester hitters and Dan Burnett (Granville, Mass.), a former Southwick Regional star ballplayer tallied two home runs and seven RBI in the Owls game one win as the two teams split a MASCAC doubleheader from Hagan Field in Westfield on April 4.
The Owls rode the hot hand of McNamara in game one as he tossed his second complete game shutout of the season, allowing just one hit while fanning a remarkable 16 hitters as Westfield took the opener 9-0. The Lancers responded in game two behind strong pitching of their own as lefthander Ben Smith (Bourne, Mass.) struck out nine and gave up just one run over seven frames in a 4-1 Worcester victory.
Burnett stepped into the box in the third inning and began what was a tremendous day at the dish, belting a three-run blast over the left centerfield fence to extend the lead to five runs after three innings. He added to his run total in the fourth and sixth innings via a two-run double and another home run, giving him seven RBI in game one.
McNamara picked up his fourth win of the season while Gavin Price (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss for Worcester as he allowed seven runs (six earned) across four innings on six hits. He walked two and struck out three. – Courtesy of Westfield State University Athletics
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